For UCF, high hopes, higher aspirations

Ever since University of Central Florida coach George O'Leary came to Orlando, two of the mantras he has repeated most during his seven seasons with the Knights are the ideas of "the next play" and "the next man."

After years of building, UCF posted the program's most successful season in 2010 with an 11-3 finish, a Liberty Bowl win over Georgia and a year-ending national ranking — all firsts for the program.

But now, following several losses of key players who've graduated, O'Leary is hoping his next young crop can live up to the program's expectations.

The Knights have one of the nation's most highly touted young quarterbacks back in sophomore Jeff Godfrey, but they must quickly fill the gaps on a defense that for the past two years has been Conference USA's best.

"I'd rather be sitting here where people have genuine interest in you," O'Leary said of fans expecting the Knights to duplicate their run last year. "I don't think you can go up and down. You've got to keep climbing."

In all, UCF will begin the season without 11 starters (seven on defense, four on offense) that were on the field last season. They include offensive lineman Jah Reid, who went in the third round of the NFL draft to the Baltimore Ravens.

The departures are more glaring on defense, where the missing faces include linebacker Bruce Miller, a seventh-round selection by San Francisco who led the Knights' defense with 8.5 sacks last season.

Ishmael led the Knights with 93 tackles and two interceptions in 2010.

"There's tradition here on defense now," said defensive coordinator John Skladany, who returned for his second stint coaching the Knights' defense in 2010. "We have some kids that have done some really great things and we talk about all the time that it's now their turn to step up. It's the next guy up to bat. ... There's a lot of pride there."

The Knights allowed just 17.1 points per game and 108.4 rushing yards per game to dominate the league so improvement will be tough, but not impossible, Ishmael said.

UCF will still need to score points to win. That's why a lot of eyes are fixed on Godfrey's development in his second year under center.

Calabrese has since moved to wide receiver, clearing the way for Godfrey to enter the spring as the starter. He was arrested in the offseason for driving on a suspended license, but both he and O'Leary said the incident is in the past now.

More recent is news that the NCAA is investigating the school's football and basketball programs for possible violations.

Allegations are believed to center on Ken Caldwell, a 42-year-old Chicago native and former AAU basketball coach who has been tied to Central Florida's recruitment of several basketball players and at least one football player.

Caldwell has denied wrongdoing and the school says it will cooperate fully with the NCAA investigation. O'Leary's immediate task is to prevent it from being a distraction.

Godfrey, meanwhile, said he's spent the summer working on becoming a better leader.

"Personally, I'm very far along," he said. "Last year I kind of came in here, learning from Rob Calabrese when he was the quarterback, but now I'm coming in learning some of the stuff I knew last year and still learning from older guys. I think I'm more comfortable in the pocket and in the offense."

The Knights will have opportunities to get national attention early with a home game against Boston College on Sept. 10 and a trip to BYU on Sept. 23.